24-Hour Emergency Healthcare

Emergency Department at Kirby Medical Center

24 Emergency Healthcare in Monticello

When the unexpected occurs, expect dedicated care from the medical professionals
at Kirby Medical Center. Our Emergency Department is staffed 24 hours
a day by board-certified emergency physicians who are all Advanced Life
Support (ALS) certified. Our registered nurses are also specially trained
in emergency care – ensuring that our patients have access to a
comprehensive care team fully prepared to treat even the most serious
and life threatening medical conditions.

Because Kirby is part of a regional hospital network, we refer patients
when necessary to specialists at Carle, Christie Clinic, and Provena Covenant
in Champaign and Urbana; and St. Mary's and Decatur Memorial Hospital
in Decatur.

How to Recognize an Emergency

You never want to hesitate calling 911 when an emergency occurs, but determining
what exactly is an emergency is not always easy. Medical emergencies come
in many forms, and there is no one threshold symptom that separates a
standard problem from an emergency. You will need to use your best judgement
to determine whether or not the situation warrants a 911 call. Below are
some symptoms that warrant an emergency call that you should keep in mind.

Signs of a medical emergency:

Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing

Broken bones

Head, spine, and other serious injuries

Consistent vomiting

Asthma related emergencies

Profuse bleeding

Tight or painful feeling in chest

Consuming a poisonous substance

Acute pain in abdominal area

Suicidal feelings and other mental distress symptoms

Unusual behavior, confusion, and disorientation

Severe headaches that won’t go away

Sudden blurry vision

These are not the only signs of an emergency, be prepared to call 911 anytime
you believe an urgent situation is happening. As calmly as you can, explain
the situation to the operators. Speaking too rapidly or in a panic can
make it difficult for them to understand you and will waste time.

In nearly every emergency scenario, it is better to wait for an
ambulance rather than driving to the hospital yourself. Ambulance paramedics can
reach the hospital faster and provide the patient with critical care on
the way over. For individuals who at an increased risk of suffering an
emergency, Piatt County also offers the invaluable
CareLink service.